Errors have been detected in the file Outlook .ost- Resolve the Error

Summary: The blog illustrates about the OST files and the errors have been detected in the file Outlook.ost error. Various manual and automated methods to fix the error have also been explained clearly.

OST file, which stands for ‘Offline Storage Table‘ file is a replica of the complete data in the mailbox of Outlook. Many users use OST files to work on Outlook in offline mode. The modifications made by Outlook users in offline mode will be saved in the OST file and are automatically synced with MS Outlook when connected to the Exchange Server.

There are scenarios when users encounter errors in MS Outlook and cannot access it. Such errors occur mostly due to synchronization problems. These issues need to be fixed immediately or it may lead to loss of data and other problems.

One such error is errors have been detected in the file Outlook.ost. Workarounds to resolve this error are by using both manuals as well as an automated method like OST to PST Converter. Thus, by trying any of the above methods users can easily resolve the error & allow users to work with Outlook without any hassle.

Common reasons behind the occurrence of errors have been detected in the file outlook ost issue

While we launch MS Outlook Mail, we encounter the error code with a message explained below:

“Error has been detected in the file outlook.ost. Quit Outlook and all mail-enabled applications, and then use the inbox repair tool (Scanpst.exe) to diagnose and repair error in the file.”

Now, let’s have a brief of the reasons that make the occurrence of errors have been detected in the file Outlook.ost error.

• Corruption in the file system.
• Interruption of Outlook when synchronization of Outlook-Exchange server is in process.
• Abruptly shutting down the system.
• Termination of Outlook in an incorrect way.
• Virus or malware infection in the OST file.

Solutions to resolve errors have been detected in the file Outlook.ost

I have introduced some reliable and simple methods using which the user can resolve the Errors have been detected in the file Outlook.ost error in Outlook 2016, 2013.

Method 1: Restore from the backup

Users can substitute the damaged OST file with the backed up copy to fix this error. However, there is a sort of limitation in this method. If you have not created a backup frequently, using this method you may lose your precious data.

Method 2: Repair the OST file using the Outlook inbox repair tool

Microsoft offers its users two in-built inbox repair utilities i.e. scanPST.exe and scanOST.exe to repair the issues with data files in Outlook. These tools can repair the minor bugs and issues associated with PST and OST files respectively.

But, there are also some drawbacks of this method. Using scanOST.exe inbox repair tool, we can only fix the minor issues. For major issues like errors have been detected in the file outlook ost we can’t resolve using these tools. Also, this tool is not available in the Outlook version beyond 2007 i.e. if you are facing errors in Outlook 2016, 2013, and 2010, you can’t use this utility as it won’t be available.

To repair corrupted OST file using scanOST.exe, follow the simple steps explained below:

1. First, locate the scanost.exe on your machine. Now right-click on it and run it as an administrator.
2. As you double-click on scanost.exe, the Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool window will appear. Now select the corrupted OST file.
3. Now, choose the folders you want to scan. You may select Scan all folders, or you may select a particular folder from the list. Click on the checkbox Repair Errors to resolve the issues.
4. Now click on Begin Scan to start the scanning of the selected OST file.
5. Within a short span of time, you’ll receive a message saying “OST repaired successfully”. Then, click OK.

Method 3: Clear all offline data in the OST file and recreate it

By removing all the offline data in the OST file can eradicate the symptoms of corruption within it. Hence one should clear the OST file as follows:

1. Locate the OST file on your system
2. Right-click on the folder which contains the file & select Properties
3. Choose the option “Clear Offline Items” in the additional dialog box that will appear.
4. Now click OK
5. After that Launch Outlook
6. Click on Send/Receive tab from Outlook 2010 ribbon. Then, click on “Update Folder”

After following the detailed steps, delete the OST file. When Outlook gets synchronized with Exchange, a new OST file is automatically created & all the data in the Exchange mailbox gets downloaded into it.

Method 4: Create a new Outlook profile

In rare cases, the cause behind errors have been detected in the file Outlook.ost issue is the corruption of your default Outlook profile. If it is so, create a new default Outlook profile using these steps:

1. Delete the current Outlook Profile
2. Create a New profile
3. Set the newly created profile as the default

Generally, the above-explained manual methods are able to fix the corrupted Outlook OST file causing errors have been detected in the file Outlook.ost issue. But, in case the issue is still not resolved, the only option left is to convert OST to PST file format using a third-party tool.

Method 5: Convert OST to PST file format using a third-party software

If none of the above-explained methods work, then the only method left is to use a professional OST to PST Converter to convert OST to PST file format.

This software is very efficient and reliable as it extracts the data from OST files and converts them into PST format successfully. The interface of the tool is so interactive and intuitive that a non-technical user can also use it with ease. Some other features of this software are as-

• Successfully repairs and restores all the Outlook mailbox items including emails, Calendars, Contacts, Journals, etc.
• No size limitation. Tested up to 80 GB Successfully.
• Save your recovered output into multiple file formats such as PST, MBOX, MSG, DBX, and EML.
• Highly durable with password-protected and encrypted Outlook file.
• Featured with fast scanning mode that enables to scan files safely.

Final words

For avoiding data loss, errors should be eliminated immediately so that Outlook remains accessible. In the above article, we have discussed all the possible methods to remove Errors have been detected in the file Outlook.ost issue. By using manual methods, one could fix this error. But, if the problem still not get resolved, Use OST to PST converter without any doubt. It also resolves errors like the .ost file cannot be opened. Hope it helps. Thanks for visiting this page.